Attachment for typewriting machines



Nov. 4, 1941. J. L. PETZ ATTACHMENT FOR TYPEWRITING MACHINES Filed Dec. 27, 1959 FE- I06 llllllfz.

' ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 4, 19 41 v. I I I.

sheet anchoring means usually takes the fo'rm In the drawing:

\ of a thin blade around which the carbon sheet Fig. his a plan view,

is folded or looped and held in place by means of a Fig. 2 is a side view partly in section. one or more clips. These clips take various Fig. 3 is an end view.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,261,561 ATTACHMENT FOR 'rrrnwarrmo MACHINES John L. Petz, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 27, 1939, Serial No. 311,,094

6 Claims. (01. 282-29) This invention relates to attachments for type- The'primary object of the present invention is writing machines, particularly, that type of mato provide a very simple and inexpensive device chine known asa continuous billing machine. In for use in a continuous billing machine to enthis type of machine there is usually provided able the operator to accurately fold the carbon 2. forms carrier of some sort having means to sheets about the blades and attach them thereto anchor a plurality of carbon sheets which are by means of clips. It will be understood that in interleaved with continuous forms of either the the present case the specific form .of clip used fanfold -or superposed separate web types. The is immaterial but that any of the usual forms anchoring means for the carbon sheets is usually f Clips nOW known n the art y be usedmade movable and provided with an operating 10' Other objects of the invention will be pointed means of some sort which enables the carbon out in the following description and claims and sheets to be shifted relative to the forms as soon illustrated in the'accompanying d a which as one set of the forms has been written so as discloses. y y ofexamlfle. the Principle of to transfer the working portions of the carbon the invention and the best mode, whic has been sheets to the next set of forms. The carbon contemplated, of applying that principle.

forms but usually consist of a simple U-shaped Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4-4 in member like a paper clip designed to be placed Fig. 1 through the carbon sheet. over the loop of carbon paper on the blade so In the drawing the numeral l0. represents a as to clamp the portion of the carbon sheet adsuitable oblong base plate which may be made jacent the fold close against the sides of the of some relatively light, cheap material such as blade. aluminum provided with suitable resilient feet It is imperative, particularly when fanfolded in order to avoid slippage of the device on a forms are used, that the carbon sheet be folded smooth surface such as a desk top and also to around the blade with the line of thefold absoluteavoid marring the desk top. These feet convenly, square with the longeredgesofthecarbonsheet. iently may take the form of rubber buttons ll Otherwise, owing to the lengths of these sheets, which are formed with a shouldered portion the working portions may become crumpled or pressed into suitable holes Illa formed inthe tom in the event the sheets project beyond the base plate l0. Secured along one of the longer edges of the webs or, in case of fanfolded forms, edges of the base plate III, as by means of bolts may wrinkle from dragging in the longitudinal I2, is a sideguide or aligning member which creases. may consist of an angle strip l 3. A movable side It is very diflieult for the operator to fold the guide, consisting of a similar angle strip I4, is carbon sheet square as only a very narrow poradjustably slidably mounted on the half of the tion of the carbon sheet is folded around the plate l0 opposite to the strip l3. For this purblade'for attachment thereto by means of the pose the base plate I0 is provided with three clips. Thus, no matter how careful the oper- 40 slots lob which extend at right angles to the ator may be to fold the sheet square, it frequently strip l3, that is, parallel to the shorter sides of happens that the carbon sheets are skewed the base plate II), from the upper edge of the when the blades are mounted in the forms car-' plate l0 (Fig. 1) toward the center of the plate rier. Usually a forms carrier is provided with as shown in Fig. 1. Projecting through holes in mounting posts which have means to secure the side guide I 4 are the bolts l5, the heads of which carbon blades in place and the blades customarily are slightly under cut, as best shown at the left extend at right angles to the path of movement in Fig. 2, to loosely fit the slots lllb and prevent of the forms through the machine. It will be the bolts from turning when wing nuts IS on appreciated, therefore, that any slight deviation the bolts are turned to clamp the side guide l4 from squareness at the point of attachment to n adj d p s e S e u de 4 y be the machine will result in a very considerable adjusted toward or away from the side guide [3 lateral displacement of the leading edges of the to accommodate the width of the carbon sheet carbon sheet as usually the carbon sheets are S which is to be attached to a carbon'sheet quite long, it being very common to use carbon anchoring blade. sheets 30 inches long. For the purpose of yieldingly holding the carbon sheet against accidental movement, there is provided clamping means which is not positive in itsmature but permits the sheet S to be drawn through the guides l3 and I I by the exertion of a certain amount of tension applied at one end of the sheet by the operators hand. This clamping means in part includes a rod II which is in inserted diagonal slots Ha, Ha (Figs. 1 and 2) formed in the side guides I3 and I4. These slots have a vertical apron portion to facilitate assembly. Adjustably slidably mounted on the rod I! are rollers l8 of a type commonly used on the paper bails of typewriting machines for the purpose of holding the work sheets in firm contact with the platen above the writing line. In order to prevent the rod I! from being readily withdrawn from the slots 13a, Ila by a lengthwise movement of the rod, the ends of the rod are provided with suitable caps Ila. Each of the side guides I3, I4 is provided with a leaf spring l9 which may be fastened to the side guides by welding or riveting and is curved as shown in Fig. 2 to urge the rod ll toward the closed ends of the slots l3a, Ha so as to exert pressure on the carbon sheet S located between the side guides.

The rollers IE not only are capable of turning on the rod H, but also may be slid along the rod so as to be settable equal distances from the edges of the carbon sheet to prevent the carbon sheet from skewing when the sheet is adjusted lengthwise of the guides l3, l4 to obtain the proper amount of loop about the carbon blade. The springs I9 exert sufilcient pressure on the ends of the rod I! to produce enough friction between the ends of the rod l1 and the springs I 9, between the rod and the edges of the slots I3a, I la, and between the parts of the rollers l8 and the rod [1, to require exertion of a small amount of tension on the end of the carbon sheet to draw the carbon sheet through the guides l3, H. but the friction is not great enough to cause the sheet to be torn in manipulating it to get 'The latter, in the present case, is shown as consisting of a thin fiat strip ofmetal and is usually made of a light metal like aluminum. Since the carbon sheets must be not only square with the blade 20, but must also be located at a predetermined distance from one end of the blade, adjustable stop means is provided to locate the carbon blade in the slots I312. This stop means consists of an L-shaped wire bracket 2| having one of its arms formed with a U-shaped loop straddling a bolt 22 attached to the end of the side guide It. The other arm of the bracket 2| extends at right angles to the vertical face of the side guide ll, parallel with the underside of one end of the blade 20, and is provided with an adjustable collar 23 against which the end of the blade 20 may be positioned as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 to determine the position of the carbon sheet on the blade.

The carbon sheet clip is shown in plan view in Fig. l and in section in Fig. 4 and is generally designated 24 in these views. The clip 24 consists of two identical formed members 24a which may consist of sheet metal stampings which are secured to a central filler strip 25 (Figs. 1 and 4) designed topress the edge of the crease in the carbon sheet against one edge of the blade 20, This strip 25 serves three purposes, one of which is to prevent spreading of the sides of the clip by entry of the blade 20 into the clip. The other purposes are to prevent tearing the carbon sheet on the edges of the blade and to insure that the web guide portions 24a of the members 24 will be at right angles to the blade 20. The web guide portions 24a are secured together and are designed to ride on the inside of the fold along the longitudinal edges of the ianfold forms in the billing machine and guide the fold to a web splitting portion a (Fig. 1) formed in the end of strip 28. The edges of the members 24 are flared slightly at 241) (Fig. 4) to enable the clip to be more easily slipped over the fold of the carbon sheet and the members are formed to evenly press to the sides of the blade the portions of the carbon sheet against the fold, as shown in Fig. 4.

Assuming that the side guide I has been adjusted to the width of the carbon sheet S, the latter is placed between the side guides l3, H by slightly raising the rod 11 against the tension of springs l9 and slipping the carbon sheet underneath the rollers II. The carbon blade 20 is now inserted in slots l3b. The carbon sheet is next adjusted lengthwise of the side guides l3, ll until the right-hand end of the and the operation is completed by removing the sheet with the blade attached thereto from the device by releasing the pressure of the rollers I8 and slipping the blade with the attached carbon sheet out of the slots l3b. Owing to the fact that the slots l3a, Ha are inclined at an angle to the top surface of the base In, it is possible to release the pressure of the rollers l8 by pressing the rod I! to the left at a point near its middle far enough to raise the rollers i 8 out of contact with the carbon sheets.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single embodiment, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an attachment for typewriting machines, a base plate, a fixed side guide mounted along one edge of said base plate and cooperating with one edge of a sheet of transfer material which is to be attached to an anchoring member, a second side guide extending parallel with the first guide and cooperating with the opposite edge of the sheet of transfer material, means to movably mount one of said guides on said base plate to accommodate sheets of transfer material having various widths, means adiustably movably supported on both guides for holding the sheet against movement longitudinally of the side guides when the sheet is in position therebetween, and means to mount the member to which the carbon sheet is to be attached at one end of the side guides and in a predetermined relationship to the sheet of transfer material to enable said sheet to be attached to said blade.

2. In an attachment for typewriting machines, a base plate, a fixed side guide mounted along .sheet is to be attached by folding a portion of one edge of said base plate and cooperating with one edge of a sheet of transfer material which is to be attached to an anchoring member, a second side guide extending parallel with the first guide and cooperating with the opposite edge of a sheet of transfer material, means to movably mount said second guide on said base plate to accommodate said attachments to sheets of transfer material having various widths, means movably mounted on both side guides for holding the sheet against movement longitudinally of the side guides when the sheet is in position therebetween, including pressure elements adjustable transversely of the guides; means to mount the member to which the carbon sheet is to be attached at one end of the side guides and in a predetermined relationship to the sheet of transfer material to enable said sheet to be attached to said blade, and means to adjustably locate said-blade in the mounting means.

3. An attachment for typewriting machines comprising a base, a pair of aligning members mounted on the base in parallel spaced relationship, one of said aligning members being adjustable with respect to the other to accommodate a transfer sheet therebetween, both of said members being shaped to support on said base a member to which said transfer sheet is to be attached in a predetermined angular relationship to enable said transfer sheet to be secured to said member while held in said relationship by said aligning members, and means having a plurality of adjustable sheet engaging elements for yieldingly holding said transfer sheet in position between said aligning members, said sheet engaging elements being aligned transversely of said aligning members and adjustable relative thereto to grip the transfer sheet equal distances from the opposite edges thereof.

4. In an attachment for typewriting machines, a base forming a table on which a manifolding transfer sheet may be laid; a pair of side guides disposed in parallel spaced relation on said table, each of said side guides being so constructed and arranged at one end to removably loosely support a member to which one end of the transfer said sheet about said member; means adjustably mounting one of said guides on said base to accommodate transfer sheets of different widths, and stop means for determining the position of the transfer sheet on said member.

5. An attachment for typewriting machines utilizing transfer sheets attached to a transfer sheet supporting member in a predetermined angular relationship, comprising a base forming a table on which the transfer sheet may be laid; a pair of side guides mounted on said base in parallel spaced relation to cooperate with opposite edges of the transfer sheet and hold the latter in a fixed position, both of said side guides being so constructed and arranged as to support the member to which the sheet is to be attached in a predetermined angular relation to the member; a sheet holding device movably supported at both ends by the side guides, and means on the side guides and cooperating with the ends of the sheet holding device to engage said device with said sheet with uniform pressure.

6. An attachment for typewriting machines utilizing transfer sheets attached to a transfer sheet supporting member in a predetermined angular relationship comprising a base forming a table on which the transfer sheetmay be laid; a pair of side guides mounted on said base in parallel spaced relation to cooperate with opposite edges of the transfer sheet and hold the latter in a fixed position, both of said side guides being so constructed and arranged as to support the member to which the sheet is to be attached in a predetermined angular relation to the member, a sheet holding device movably supported at both ends by the side guides, and means on the side guides and cooperating with the ends of the sheet holding device to engage said device with said sheet with uniform pressure, said sheet holding device also having sheet engaging elements adjustable transversely of the side guides to position said elements equal distances from the edges of the sheet.

JOHN L. PETZ. 

